1 Nephi 11&12 Christ's Birth!

Chapter 11 makes a lot more sense to me when I substitute "the Spirit" for "Christ's spirit." 1 Nephi 11:6 always makes me laugh. I never really picture Christ saying anything happy "with a loud voice." He must had been so excited that Nephi believed in Lehi's vision.

And when I had spoken these words, 

[Christ's spirit] cried with a loud voice, saying: 

Hosanna to the Lord, the most high God; 

for he is God over all the earth, yea, even above all. 

And blessed art thou, Nephi, because thou believest 

in the Son of the most high God; wherefore, 

thou shalt behold the things which thou hast desired.  

1 Nephi 11:6

I think it's very interesting that the angel uses a vision of Mary and Christ at His birth to help Nephi figure out for himself the meaning of the tree. After Nephi sees "the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms" (1 Nephi 11:20) the angel asks Nephi what the meaning of the tree is. Nephi replies that it is the "love of God" (1 Nephi 11:22). Nephi didn't even hesitate on that one. Just from seeing Christ's birth, he knew that the tree--the whole plan of salvation--represented God's love for us.

And I looked and beheld the virgin again, 

bearing a child in her arms. And the angel 

said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, 

even the Son of the Eternal Father! Knowest 

thou the meaning of the tree which thy father 

saw? And I answered him, saying: Yea, it is 

the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in 

the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is 

the most desirable above all things. And he spake unto 

me, saying: Yea, and the most joyous to the soul.

1 Nephi 11:20-23

The love of God looks like families to me too.